Name: Tamales antioqueños: Antioquia's Pork and Maize Parcels
Prep time: 1 h 45 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 16 h
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 750 g dried yellow dent maize, rinsed; 2.5 L cold water for soaking; 30 g pork lard; 450–600 ml reserved pork cooking broth, as needed for the masa; 500 g boneless pork shoulder or pork pulp, cut into 3–4 cm pieces; 500 g pork ribs, separated into small pieces; 250 g meaty pork belly or tocino, cut into 2–3 cm pieces; 500 g small waxy potatoes, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces; 250 g carrots, peeled and cut into short strips or small dice; 150 g green peas, fresh or frozen; 360 g small tomatoes, about 6, chopped; 150 g scallions, about 4 stalks, finely chopped; 9 g garlic, about 3 cloves, minced; 4 g ground cumin; 4 g ground achiote or annatto; 2 g ground black pepper; 5 g fine salt for the filling; 1.5 L water for cooking the filling, plus hot water if needed; 20 food-grade banana-leaf panels, about 30 × 25 cm each; About 4 m kitchen twine; 14 g fine salt for the cooking water; About 5 L water for simmering the tamales, plus hot water as needed

Wide family-table view of an Antioquia tamal meal with tied banana-leaf parcels and one opened maize parcel showing pork and vegetables.

Region Antioquia, Colombian Andean northwest

Category Large maize tamales with a pork-and-vegetable filling

Active preparation About 1 hour 45 minutes

Passive time 8–12 hours to soak the maize, plus 8–12 hours to marinate the pork under refrigeration

Cooking time About 5 hours, with the maize, filling and wrapped parcels cooked in stages

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Tamales antioqueños: Antioquia's Pork and Maize Parcels

Generous banana-leaf bundles with tender corn masa, three cuts of pork, potatoes, carrots and peas

Tamales antioqueños are hearty maize parcels from Antioquia in Colombia's Andean northwest. This version follows a documented Antioquia preparation built around ground cooked maize enriched with pork fat, a savory filling of pork ribs, pork shoulder and tocino, and vegetables seasoned with tomato, scallion, garlic, cumin and achiote. Banana leaves hold each parcel together while it simmers.

The recipe makes ten large tamales, a home-kitchen batch within the eight-to-ten serving range given in a Colombian traditional-cooking reference. Dry maize is weighed before soaking because older recipes can leave unclear whether a stated weight refers to dry grain or cooked masa. The maize is cooked until tender, ground while warm and moistened with broth from the pork filling. The parcels are substantial enough to serve as a meal on their own.

Antioquia has more than one tamal tradition. A community recipe documented by the University of Antioquia from Puerto Valdivia uses bijao leaves and yuca starch, and cooks for a shorter time. This version follows the banana-leaf, ground-maize and long-simmer approach in the regional cookbook; the Puerto Valdivia details are a variation rather than extra ingredients for this batch.

Ingredients

Maize masa

750 g dried yellow dent maize, rinsed
2.5 L cold water for soaking
30 g pork lard
450–600 ml reserved pork cooking broth, as needed for the masa

Pork and vegetable filling

500 g boneless pork shoulder or pork pulp, cut into 3–4 cm pieces
500 g pork ribs, separated into small pieces
250 g meaty pork belly or tocino, cut into 2–3 cm pieces
500 g small waxy potatoes, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces
250 g carrots, peeled and cut into short strips or small dice
150 g green peas, fresh or frozen
360 g small tomatoes, about 6, chopped
150 g scallions, about 4 stalks, finely chopped
9 g garlic, about 3 cloves, minced
4 g ground cumin
4 g ground achiote or annatto
2 g ground black pepper
5 g fine salt for the filling
1.5 L water for cooking the filling, plus hot water if needed

Wrapping and cooking

20 food-grade banana-leaf panels, about 30 × 25 cm each
About 4 m kitchen twine
14 g fine salt for the cooking water
About 5 L water for simmering the tamales, plus hot water as needed

Method

Soak the maize Put the rinsed maize in a large bowl, cover with 2.5 L cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water. Keeping the grain cold during the soak prevents it from sitting warm for an extended period.
Marinate the pork under refrigeration Cut the pork shoulder, ribs and pork belly into the stated pieces. Mix them with the scallions, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, achiote, black pepper and 5 g salt. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Keep the raw pork and its marinade cold; do not leave either at room temperature.
Cook and grind the maize Cover the drained maize with fresh water in a large pot and simmer until the kernels are tender but still hold their shape, about 1½–2 hours. Drain well, reserving no cooking water. While warm, grind the corn to a coarse, moist masa. Knead in the lard until evenly distributed. The masa will be finished with the pork broth in Step 5.
Cook the pork filling Transfer the pork and marinade to a heavy pot and add 1.5 L water. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then cover and simmer until the thickest pork pieces reach at least 71°C and become tender, about 60–90 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook until nearly tender; add the peas and finish until all the vegetables are tender. If using ribs, remove the meat from the bones before wrapping and discard any loose bone fragments. Reserve the broth.
Moisten and portion the masa Gradually knead 450–600 ml warm reserved broth into the maize masa until it is soft, cohesive and easy to spread without running. The exact amount depends on how finely the maize was ground and how much moisture it retained. Taste the cooked filling and adjust its seasoning only if needed. Keep the masa and filling hot for quick assembly, or cool them quickly and refrigerate if assembly must wait.
Wrap and simmer the tamales Briefly warm the banana-leaf panels over a low flame or dip them in hot water until flexible; do not scorch them. Place two overlapping panels for each parcel. Spread a thick oval of masa on the leaves, add an even tenth of the filling in the center, then fold the masa around it. Fold the leaves into a compact bundle and tie securely with twine. Bring about 5 L water and 14 g salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the parcels, return the water to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 3 hours. Keep the parcels covered with water, topping up with hot water as needed; do not let the pot boil dry.
Check and serve Lift one parcel from the pot and check the center with a food thermometer; it must reach at least 74°C. Let the tamales rest briefly, then open one carefully, directing the steam away from your face. Serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within two hours and reheat them to 74°C throughout.

Practical guidance

Practical

Useful equipment

Use large bowls for soaking and marinating, a large pot for the maize, a heavy pot for the filling and a large lidded pot for the tamales. You will also need a corn grinder or sturdy food processor, kitchen twine and a food thermometer. Keep separate boards and utensils for raw pork and cooked ingredients.

Practical guidance

The maize masa should feel supple and spreadable, not watery. If it cracks while you form a parcel, knead in a little more warm broth. If it slumps or runs, work in a little more ground maize. A coarse grind gives the masa more texture; a very fine grind makes a smoother, denser parcel. Banana leaves become easier to fold after a brief pass over a low flame or a dip in hot water. Trim away damaged edges and use food-grade leaves. Two overlapping panels help prevent leaks; tie the top securely without crushing the masa. Keep the bundles roughly even in size so they finish cooking together. The pork marinade stays refrigerated for 8–12 hours. The filling is then cooked before it is wrapped, which makes the pork temperature easier to check and gives the masa flavorful broth. Keep raw-pork tools separate from the cooked masa and finished filling. Wash hands, boards and utensils with hot soapy water between tasks. You can prepare the maize and filling a day ahead, cool them promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate. Reheat the filling and broth until steaming before mixing the masa and assembling. Once cooked, cool leftover tamales within two hours. The banana leaves are wrapping, not food; remove them before eating.

Final notes

Note 1: Antioquia has documented tamal variations. This batch follows the banana-leaf and ground-maize approach; bijao leaves and yuca starch belong to a separately documented Puerto Valdivia version. Note 2: Nutrition is an estimate with at least 35% uncertainty. Maize hydration, pork fat, rib bones, broth retained in the masa and seasoning salt all affect the final values.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: One large tamal, approximately 400–450 g edible portion, depending on bone yield and moisture
Calories: 850 kcal
Carbohydrates: 92 g
Protein: 43 g
Fat: 36 g
Fibre: 8 g
Sodium: 1,050 mg

Tamales antioqueños: Antioquia's Pork and Maize Parcels

Ingredients

Maize masa

Pork and vegetable filling

Wrapping and cooking

Method

Practical

Useful equipment

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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